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Kidnapped teen finds purpose after years on the run
17 Sep
Summary
- Alex Batty, abducted at 11, found work after six years of isolation.
- His new job provides financial security for his young family.
- He was discovered in France after living off-grid with his mother.
Alex Batty, who disappeared for six years after being abducted by his mother, has spoken about finding a renewed sense of purpose following the start of his employment. Batty was declared missing in 2017 at the age of 11 when his mother and grandfather failed to return him from a holiday in Spain, instead relocating to France.
He spent the subsequent years living in isolation, avoiding formal education and discarding his passport at his mother's behest. In December 2023, he was discovered in the foothills of the Pyrenees, heading towards Toulouse with minimal possessions. Batty, now 20, has since returned to live with his grandmother, his legal guardian, in Oldham.
His job at a waste management company has provided his young family with financial security, a stark contrast to the uncertainty of his teenage years spent living as a nomad. Batty expressed relief at being employed, stating that the pressure of supporting his family without a job was immense. The employment offers him the security he needs to provide for his baby and partner.
